Trope Drabbles
by AJsRandom
Summary: A selection of drabbles featuring tropes. Or, fills for a game of bingo over at LJ. Various ratings, parings, genres, and situations featured. Stop by and enjoy!
1. Secret Twin

**I realized I threw this out there with little explanation, so here trope itself will be the chapter title. _This_ is the first fill I wrote, titled _Double Fun_. Summary: Modern!Gwen has an identical twin who trolls her and Arthur. Okey day? :)**

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Arthur sighed as he entered his Business Law class. Two years into his degree program and he wasn't enjoying it as much as he thought it would. Following his father into the family business had seemed like such a good idea, but now he wasn't so sure.

This classroom, like many others, had theater seating, so he could see everyone in the room from his seat at the top. He was scanning his fellow victims, uh, classmates, when he saw _her_. She had the curliest hair he's ever seen and she was wearing it down. He couldn't see her face, but her skin was the color of a mocha latte, which he _loved_.

He began mentally chanting " _turn around_." After what felt like forever, she finally did and _wow_! She was _gorgeous_! Her eyes were the color of espresso, and what the _heck_ was with his sudden obsession with _coffee_?! He knew he probably wouldn't remember the lecture; he was already planning how he could ask her out without using his usual pickup lines. This girl looked _way_ too classy to fall for those.

When the bell sounded at the end of class, he wove his way through the departing crowd to where she sat on the front row. Luckily for him she didn't just pick up and leave like so many others did. "Hello," he said.

She looked up. _Oh those eyes!_ "Hi. Can I um, help you with something?" _Shy is sweet_.

"Yeah, uh, would you like to get a coffee with me?" He mentally facepalmed; _who got coffee for lunch?_

"Um, sure. Yeah. You have a place?"

"Yeah, it's not too far." They started walking. "So, are you new here?"

"Sort of. I mean, I'm from here but I was going to school at Albion U before my dad's health got bad so I transferred back here."

"Oh sorry to hear that. About your dad I mean."

"Thanks." They made small talk the rest of the way to the coffee shop; _Gwen_ was her name. She talked about her major area of study, her family and how much she liked coffee. "I know it's a little weird to go for coffee in the middle of the day with someone you just met, but I'm _really_ addicted."

After a bit more chatting while they sipped, she admitted she had to run off to another class. He thanked her for coming and made plans to see her later in the week _. If all my classes had someone like her in them, I'd never get bored_.

oO0Oo

The next day, Arthur dragged himself up and out of bed. He had an elective class this morning—Pottery. His idiot roommate Merlin had suggested it to him, noting that he liked to use his hands. It was probably the stupidest thing Arthur could have taken, but he couldn't think of anything better. So he trudged over to the arts building, berating himself and Merlin the entire way.

He changed his tune the instant he stepped inside the room. _What are the odds?_ Gwen was there, talking with some classmates. He wanted go over and talk to her, but the professor called everyone to order and he had to scramble to find a seat. He crossed right in front of Gwen, but she didn't acknowledge him at all. _Too focused?_

Arthur couldn't believe his luck. His gorgeous future girlfriend in _two_ of his classes. This term was _definitely_ looking up. He tried to listen to the professor as she explained the usual first class stuff, but couldn't stop looking at Gwen and trying to get her attention. But no matter what he did, she wouldn't look his way.

After class was over, she quickly gathered up her things and bolted. He yelped and ran after her, calling her name, but she didn't turn until he got close. "Gwen, hi," he said.

"Um, do I know you?" she asked.

"We met yesterday and had coffee?"

"I'm sure I would've remembered having coffee with a gorgeous guy like you."

"Are you _kidding_ me?"

"Not at all. But if you want we can make up for that now."

Arthur's mouth fell open. "Okay, but I swear we went out yesterday."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll remember sometime. My memory can be a little shoddy." They walked to the same coffee shop they'd visited yesterday, making small talk like before, but different subjects. She was extremely bold and outgoing, vastly different from the day before. He decided he liked her this way too. They parted after making further plans for the weekend; she wrote her number on his hand. He hadn't remembered to get it before.

oO0Oo

A day later, he'd gotten to Business Law early and sat next to where Gwen had sat that first day. She smiled when she came into the room and sat next to him. They got to chat for a few minutes before class started, and he mentioned their coffee date the day before. She looked confused for a moment but expressed excitement for their date tonight—a movie at the campus cinema.

They met at the cinema later and enjoyed the movie, a rom-com which Arthur secretly adored. The movie was fabulous, but not as fabulous as the company. She allowed him to walk her back to her flat and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She again looked puzzled when he reminded her about their date tomorrow night, but told him she was looking forward to it.

The next day at Pottery, she had arrived before him but patted the seat next to her when he walked in. She squeezed his hand and talked animatedly about the little festival Arthur had planned to take her to tonight. She was a big fan of the arts and would love to show him what she knew.

He met her later at the part of campus where the festival was set up. She seized his arm and dragged him from booth to booth, talking about various styles and introducing him to friends they ran into. She let him walk her home again and invited him to come inside her flat. Once inside she sat him on the sofa and went to her kitchen to prepare tea.

After a couple minutes, he heard the sound of a shower shutting off. _That must be her sister_. Gwen came over to him with a tray and sat it on the coffee table before sitting down herself. A voice floated down the hall. "You home sis?"

"Yep, I have tea! Come meet this gorgeous male specimen," Gwen replied.

Arthur waited to see the sister's face as she came down the hall, still drying her hair. The moment she whisked the towel away, they both stared. _Gwen's sister was her identical twin_! "Gwen?" he asked.

"Yes?" they both replied.

He glanced between them. "What's going on here?"

Both Gwens burst into giggles. The one standing said, "It looks like Esme played a little joke on us."

"Esme?"

"Me," said the twin sitting next to him. "I'm actually Esme, short for Esmerelda."

"But . . ."

"Oh don't worry Arthur darling. I realized Gwen had got to you first the moment you talked to me in Pottery. But you're so yummy I couldn't help but give you a try." She grabbed his shirt's collar and yanked his lips down to hers for a brief but thorough kiss. "Hmm," she said when they broke.

Both Gwen and Arthur stared at her, shell-shocked. "What was that for?" he asked, his voice abnormally high-pitched.

"I was giving you a try, but it seems we're not kiss-compatible," Esme told him.

"I didn't know that was a thing." He couldn't help feeling slightly offended.

"Oh yes, but now that I've ruled you out, Gwen can have you all to herself." She glanced up at her twin. "Come and get him Gwennie!"

Esme vacated the couch, patting the spot until Gwen came over and sat. She kissed her twin's head and flounced off to the rear of the flat. Gwen blushed and apologized, but Arthur wouldn't hear it. It was Esme who'd tricked them both, but she'd also gotten them together. Arthur couldn't be upset at that, but was glad he could tell them apart.

(Though he wasn't one hundred percent relaxed about it until Gwen had said "I do" to him and they were speeding away from their wedding venue, two years later.)

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 **Thanks for reading! Next, Morgana is a baaad girl.**


	2. Drunk-Drugged

**Thank you reviewers! :)**

 **Title: _Just a Job_ , Summary: Modern!Morgana drugs Merlin to get him to spill his secrets.**

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Morgana tapped her perfectly manicured blood-red nails on the bar top. _The mark is taking forever to arrive!_ She should have known better—in his dossier, one of his noted personality quirks was chronic tardiness. She watched a pair of his known associates glance at their watches and shake their heads, laughing. Whoever had done the homework on this one had been spot on.

A few minutes later, the upscale pub's door opened and the mark walked in. _Oh my_. The black and white pic in the dossier didn't do him justice! He was absolutely _striking_ —dark hair and pale skin, like hers, five o'clock shadow, and the most _amazing_ blue eyes she'd ever seen. And just below those eyes were cheekbones that could slice anything. _Wow_. Maybe she could have a little fun with this one before she cut him loose.

She checked over her outfit, making sure the low-cut cocktail dress was still in place, so to speak. She also had diamonds at her ears, neck and wrist, though they sadly weren't hers. _Time to bait the hook_ , she thought as she stood, smoothed the dress down and began walking over to the table where her mark sat.

 _Merlin Emrys, what an odd name_. But despite all his quirks, he held some of his company's most privileged information in his head. It was her job to wrangle that from him so _her_ company could benefit. His table was on the way to the ladies' room, so she made a show of walking by him and allowing her hand to trail across his shoulders.

He looked up just as she'd gotten past him and could see his expression in her peripheral vision. He had _definitely_ been hooked.

She went inside the restroom and pretended to check her reflection, staying a little longer to let things simmer. When she walked out, she saw his eyes dart up again and follow her, presumably all the way back to the bar. It would only be a couple minutes before he got up and came over to her. She pretended to be surprised when he did, and engaged him in the usual small talk. He ordered another drink for her and one for himself.

At one point, she asked him if "those were his friends trying to get his attention." When he looked away, she slipped the fast-dissolving, odorless and tasteless drug into his drink; she'd paid the bartender to look the other way. When Merlin turned back, he told her she must have been mistaken and began sipping at his drink.

By the time he reached the bottom of his glass, he was showing signs of being affected. _Time to go_. She coyly suggested that she was looking to go somewhere a little more intimate. He agreed and they got up to say farewell to his friends. They chuckled and wished him well, unsurprised. He looked mildly drunk—he had a reputation as a lightweight too. They probably thought they knew exactly what was going to happen after they got to her place. _They had no idea_.

The apartment her employer had temporarily acquired for her was nearby by design. As they exited the pub, she looped her arm through his and began walking in that direction. Five minutes later, they were at "her" door. She let them in then slammed his back against the door to close it. Then she seized his face with her hands and mashed their lips together furiously. Just as he'd caught on to the fact they were kissing, she pulled away and took his hand. "Come in," she said saucily.

She turned and took in the décor for the first time. Furniture was black and white with splashes of bold color—hi-contrast but somehow feminine. Merlin took it in as well, whistling at the sheer amount of money that had gone into the décor. "Nice place."

Morgana smiled. "Would you like an aperitif or do you want to . . . dive right in?" She licked her lips in a manner that had most men drooling in seconds. Merlin was no exception.

"Umm . . ." his eyes darted over to the sofa. He nodded in that direction so she pulled him to it and pushed him to sit on it.

"You look a little tense—would you like a quick massage first?" she asked.

"Oh yes." He took off his jacket.

She shook her head at him and started attacking the buttons on his shirt. As she pushed it off his shoulders and down his arms, she marveled at his physique. _He was a lot more built than he looked_. It looked like he and the gym were close friends. She backed up and invited him to lay face down. Once he was in place, she climbed over him to sit on and straddle his rear. _Tight buns_. Next she massaged his shoulders, neck, and upper arms before moving down his back. She felt him gradually relax. "Don't fall asleep on me now," she teased.

He turned his head to the side. "No danger of that." The next moment, he rolled under her so now she was sitting on a more interesting part of his body.

"Mmm," she said, and leaned forward to kiss him gently. But he threaded his hands into her hair and held her head to his. He licked at her lips so she'd open them, and she obliged. He deepened the kiss further and ran a hand down to her lower back.

This was the beginning of the most intense makeout session she'd experienced in her career as a professional seductress. _This_ skill of his was _definitely_ not in his dossier. His hands and lips were everywhere, but he was so kind and generous, worrying more about how _she_ was feeling. She found herself strangely reluctant to pursue the line of questioning she needed to put to him.

When she finally slipped questions in beside sighs, caresses and mind-altering kisses, he proved to be remarkably resistant. He'd answer with questions or lines she could find on his company's website. Well, they'd told her the drug was ninety-nine percent effective—he was just the other one percent. Bad news for her employers, but good for her conscience. _What a relief_.

The drug _was_ one-hundred percent effective at putting its consumers to sleep. After a particularly passionate kiss that took both their breaths away, she gently lowered him to the sofa. She snatched the throw that lay there and draped it gently over him. She stroked his hair for a moment before retrieving a pen and paper from her clutch—she scrawled something on it then laid it atop his shirt she'd placed on the coffee table. Then she got up and headed for the door, dimming the lights with the switch there.

Just before she walked out, she turned, blew him a kiss and said, "Goodbye Merlin." He slept peacefully as she closed the door and walked away, a shred of hope in her heart.

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 **Thanks for reading! Next- A little ditty on _Phantom of the Opera_.**


	3. Disguised-Masked

**Title: _My Warlock_ , Summary: A masked man teaches Morgana magic through an enchanted mirror. Inspired by _The Masquerade_ by Heatherlly on AO3.**

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Morgana paced anxiously in her chambers. She was waiting for a guest, but not a normal guest; this was the masked warlock who was secretly teaching her magic. After nearly burning her room down, he'd spoken to her through the full-length mirror near her bed. He offered to teach her how to control her magic and use it for good. She didn't immediately jump on the offer, but gradually gave in as he persuaded her with gentle kindness.

They'd arranged these nights where he taught her through the mirror in her room. So far, she could now sleep through the night without catching anything on fire or shattering breakable objects. In fact, she could light fires at will and speak into her mentor's mind. She was so very grateful, and today had discovered something new about herself—she was in love with her mentor.

The reason for her pacing was she'd decided to tell him how she felt. She wanted to invite him into her chambers so she could touch him to make sure he was real. She was too shy to try anything further, which was very odd for the usually bold, outspoken Lady Morgana.

 _Finally_ she heard him call, "Morgana." She'd been facing away but whirled around in an instant to take in his form, seemingly trapped within the mirror.

"My Warlock," she called him; he'd given her no name. She saw him smile under the mask that obscured every part of his face but his mouth. He wore his usual black—cloak, tunic, trousers, and boots. He looked so fine she nearly melted.

"Morgana. What would you like to learn tonight?"

"I-I have an unusual request."

"Name it."

She drew herself up. "I would like to meet you. In the flesh."

His smile faded. "Morgana, what you ask—"

"I have something I'd like to tell you. In person. _Please_."

His mouth flattened into a straight line. Finally he spoke, "All right. But you'd better stand well back." She nodded and obeyed as he opened his mouth to speak. " _Cene gesweorc_." Mist poured around the mirror, obscuring it. She heard a sort of quiet screech then the mist parted and a dark figure stepped from within. " _Ende_ ," he said and the mist evaporated instantly.

Morgana hung back, feeling shy again. But then he smiled at her. "My Warlock," she exclaimed, rushing forward. She reached out her hands, hesitated, then reached them out again to take his. They were warm and calloused, like a man who worked for his survival. "Thank you for coming."

"How could I refuse you?" He withdrew a hand and cupped her face. "What is it you wish to tell me?"

He eyes fell to the floor, then came back up. "I-I wanted to say 'thank you' again, for teaching me, guiding me. I no longer fear my magic or the dreams that come from it."

"You are a very talented student. It's been a joy." His hand fell away and she immediately missed it; he noticed. "But that's not all, is it?" he asked gently.

"No. My Warlock. You see, I've . . . I've fallen in love with you."

His eyes and mouth turned serious. "Oh Morgana."

Her heart fell. "Wh-what?"

"I've fallen in love with you too." His hand buried itself in her hair. "I thought I could keep my emotions separate, apart, but I was wrong. You are the most beautiful person I know, inside and out. I just wish . . ."

"What is it?"

"I wish there weren't so many things keeping us apart."

She tilted her head, puzzled. "Apart? What's keeping us apart besides this?" She touched the leather mask.

He caught her hand. "You have no idea who I am under this. I could be a liar, a thief . . . a servant."

"It doesn't matter to me. Whoever you are, whatever you've done, I know you're a kind, generous, selfless man. And that man is worthy of my love." He stared into her eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Do _you_ trust _me_?"

"Without reservation."

His free hand slid around her waist. "Good enough for me." He lowered his lips to hers for a sweet yet passionate kiss. "I trust you too." He reached up to the back of his head to take off his mask, but she stopped him.

"Let me." She replaced his hands with hers and bit her lip as she untied the laces. She slowly lowered the mask into her palm and gasped as he was revealed to her. " _Merlin!_ " She threw her arms around his neck and brought their lips together again. She felt him relax against her.

When she broke away she smiled brightly. She took his hands and led him to her bed where they sat, talked and kissed until the sun came up. They both counted themselves as the luckiest people in Albion.

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 **Thanks for reading! Next: Morgana gets a new job. ;)**


	4. Bad Girl-Boy

**Thanks again to my reviewers! anthi35- I just penned a Freylin one today! Will post soon. :)**

 **Title: _New Job_ , Summary: How Morgana got her corporate seductress job.**

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Morgana sighed as she stepped out of the elevator. _Who knew what Cenred wanted to see her about today?_ The CEO of Essetir, Inc. seemed to call her up here so often she might as well have a chair engraved with her name sitting in his office.

Cenred's secretary ushered her right in and closed the door behind her. "Ah, Morgana," Cenred said, standing. She studied him for a moment; he was a handsome, well-groomed man, but always struck her as oily. "Please sit. We have things to discuss."

"Sir, if this is about the Thomas account, I can assure you that—"

"This is _not_ about the Thomas account. You handled that debacle relatively well. No, this is about your . . . _hobby_."

Morgana paled. _How did he find out about that?_ Her voice stayed even as she replied. "To which hobby are you referring?"

Cenred's smile slid off his face. "Don't try to lie to me. I'm referring to your rather well-paid dominatrix activity."

"Oh."

"Indeed."

"Well, what of it? Don't tell me _you_ want my services." She smirked. "Because I have a strict 'no play for co-workers' policy."

"Oh no, I don't want your services, although it would be interesting to see you, um, dressed up. No, I'd like you to use your _skills_ for a new position I've just developed. Ever heard of corporate espionage?"

"Of course. But what . . ."

"It'll come to you."

She stood, indignant. "You think I would use myself for your benefit? No thank you. I've—"

"I will _double_ your current salary."

She didn't even stop to think. "When do I start?" She sat again.

"You bad, bad girl. You didn't even let me describe your duties."

"Use my skills of seduction to worm information out of whoever you see fit? Yeah, I've got it."

"Cheeky. That's essentially it, but you'll also have tools—coercive drugs, a clothing allowance, access to jewelry, places to seduce your marks, and complete dossiers. The hard work will be done for you."

"You don't know my 'hobby' very well, do you?"

He flushed. "I don't need to. _You_ do."

"Of course." She stood. "Thank you for the offer, sir. I accept."

"Wonderful. You'll be given further information by registered mail. Oh, and you'll keep your current daytime position as a cover, though your workload will be reduced." He reached his hand out. "Always a pleasure Morgana."

She shook his hand. "Thank you. Good day sir."

"Good day."

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 **Thanks so much for reading! :) Next: a bit of M/A bromance.**


	5. Hurt-Comfort

**Title: _Help_ , Summary: Merlin goes old after Uther's death to appear in Arty's dream, to explain his actions.**

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Merlin lay in bed the night after Arthur's coronation. He couldn't help but think of the event that had led to it and his role _in_ it. Even though Morgana should take most of the blame, he'd cast the spell that had rebounded onto Uther. And now, once again, Arthur had been hurt by magic.

 _There has to be some way to make up for it_ , he thought. Then an insane idea formed in his mind. Maybe he could explain to Arthur what had happened in a way that the new King would _have_ to listen. What place could he get to Arthur like that? _His dreams_. If he could somehow place himself into Arthur's dreams at night, he could speak to him there. And just maybe he could help the King find some measure of comfort and closure.

He rolled off his bed and lit the candle with a word. Then he pried up the loose floorboard under his bed and took out his spell book. He remembered there being something about talking to someone in their dreams, but had never thought to try it. _Maybe it could have helped Morgana_.

There it was— _Crimman mec into þære mætinge_. And he'd have to disguise himself—the only way he knew how was the aging spell. That was probably for the best anyway. He'd be recognizable at least, which would help him explain his actions and other things he knew.

 _Well, there's no time like the present_. He pulled out his Dragoon robe and remembered how grateful he was that Gaius now kept spare anti-aging potions around. He replaced the board, picked up his book, and crept out of his room. He made a quick search of the potions, found his and left.

There was a lot of extra security around the castle due to the manner of Uther's death. But no one would question the presence of the Prince's- _King's_ -servant at any hour of the day. Arthur has been known to be up at all hours of the day.

Merlin made it to the King's chambers with no problem. Once inside, he bolted the door behind him and lit the candle. He was grateful that Arthur was a sound sleeper and the new King was indeed out like a light. He sat his book down then went behind the screen to pull the robe over his head. In a voice just above a whisper he said, " _Miht dagan, beþecce me. Adeadaþ þisne gast min freondum ond min feondum_." He instantly felt the shrinking and aches that came with his new advanced age.

He poked his head out from behind the screen and saw that Arthur was still asleep. Next he hobbled out from behind it, picked up his book and dragged a chair to Arthur's bedside. He sat heavily and opened the book to the right page. He read the spell over a few times then closed his eyes. " _Crimman mec into þære mætinge_ ," he said.

Colors immediately sped through his mind and he nearly passed out with the dizziness. Just as he was about to collapse, it cleared up and he found himself standing in the training yard. Arthur was the only one there, running through various training forms. It was silent except for the usual noises the King made while training. It was easy to see why Arthur would dream _this_ —he was at his most relaxed while training because he used it to exorcise his strong emotions.

Merlin began walking toward Arthur, whose back was toward him. When he was a few feet away, he said, "Arthur."

The King whirled around, slashing his blade toward Merlin's neck, but stopped right before he would've decapitated the warlock. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand."

"Well, for one thing, this is a dream so your sword isn't real."

Arthur pressed the blade toward Merlin's neck, but Merlin felt nothing—no blood was drawn and the King saw this. "Fine." He moved the sword away and chucked it to the ground. "So why are you here? Was killing my father not enough for you? Do you have to taunt me in my dreams too?"

"No sire. I merely seek to explain what _really_ happened to your father."

Arthur scoffed. "Oh, do tell." He folded his arms and gave the warlock a searching look.

"The spell was working—you saw that yourself. What you _didn't_ see was the charm placed around your father's neck. This charm was enchanted to reverse the effect of any spell incanted in its vicinity. Your father never had a chance."

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"You didn't exactly give me the chance! And I didn't know until later, when I visited Gaius. He was the one who'd discovered the charm."

"Why didn't _he_ tell me? And if you aren't responsible, who is?"

"You were so deep into mourning he felt he couldn't approach you about it right away. And it was Morgana. I recognized her magic at work in the charm."

"So why are you telling me about this _now_?"

"I merely wanted to explain what really happened, in the hope that it brings you some comfort. I did nothing wrong. Magic is neither good nor evil; only people are and they choose _how_ to use it. Whether you believe that or not is up to you."

Arthur looked down for a few moments, thinking deeply. "If what you say is true, and I want to believe it is, then I'm sorry. It's hard to believe  
Morgana would kill her own father."

"Is it?"

"Maybe it's a hubris of mine, but I'd like to think even she, as far as she's fallen, wouldn't do something so depraved."

"She has indeed fallen far, but it is up to _her_ to change her fate."

"I know. I just wish she would."

"So do I."

Arthur looked up, meeting Merlin's eyes. "Look, I know I promised you I'd accept those with magic, but I just can't right now. I'm sorry—it still hurts and I've so much to do . . ."

Merlin went to touch Arthur's shoulder, but stopped short. "I may not like it, but I understand. Maybe someday?"

"Maybe someday. You've given me plenty to think about."

"At least you know."

"At least I know. And it does bring me comfort, thank you for that."

"I'm glad." Merlin looked around. "Well, I'll leave you to your training then. Sweet dreams." Before Arthur said anything else, Merlin said,  
" _Ende_." He got the flashing colors in reverse and opened his eyes. He shook his head to clear it then pulled the bottle from his pocket and drank its contents.

Once he was young again, he glanced at Arthur. He could be imagining it, but the new King seemed more peaceful. Merlin smiled at him and dragged the chair back into place. Once he'd doffed the robe, he unbolted the door and went back to bed, feeling like he'd have no problem going to sleep

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 **Thank you for reading! Next: a bit of modern Freylin. :D**


	6. Students or Teachers

**Ok anthi35, just for you! Title: _Sometimes_ , Summary: Freya comes to sub at the school where Merlin works.**

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Merlin looked up from his meeting notes. Something about the new art teacher kept drawing his eyes to her. Ms. Lake was pretty, not like Morgana, but like a rare flower known for its inside beauty. She smiled shyly at him before he forced his eyes away yet again.

The principal called everyone's attention to the next item on the agenda, which was Ms. Lake. Merlin only knew her name because Morgana and Leon had been gossiping when he came in.

Mrs. Caradoc, the tenured art teacher, was now on maternity leave. She'd looked ready to pop, so this was a _good_ thing, but she'd be gone for the rest of the year. Ms. Lake- _Freya_ -would be taking her place. Privately, Merlin thought she was a great improvement; Mrs. Caradoc wasn't known as a battle-axe for nothing.

Freya gave a little speech about herself. She'd been teaching for five years, the same as Merlin. Before that, she had traveled all over the world with her father, who was still in the military. Merlin's dad had been in the military before he died. As she told her story, he found a few more things they had in common. _Almost too good to be true_.

After the meeting ended, most of the teachers rushed off to their classrooms. Merlin didn't have anything the first hour, and neither did Freya, apparently. He swallowed his nervousness and walked over to her. "Hi, I'm Merlin Emrys, history department. It's good to have you here." He stuck out his hand for her to take.

Her hand went up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear then came down to meet his. "Hi, Freya Lake." They shook hands.

"So, I couldn't help but notice we have a few things in common." She looked a little confused. "From your intro." Her face cleared and he went on to tell her what he'd noticed. He ended up walking her to her classroom and they made plans to meet after school to celebrate her first day there. He knew a great coffee shop that served _the_ most delicious gourmet hot chocolate.

After the last class period, Merlin hurriedly put himself, his things and his room to rights. He tried not to look too anxious as he walked down to the art rooms, waving at students and other teachers. When he reached her room, he poked his head inside. She was getting her things together and smiled at him. He took that as his cue to come inside. He helped her put a few things in order before they left.

While they walked to the coffee shop, they discussed things they _didn't_ have in common—universities, favorite sports, books, etc. She smiled again and again as they sipped their drinks inside the warm shop. They watched snow fall and chatted about their favorite holidays. By the time they split up to go home, he had her phone number. Later, at home, he knew one thing for sure—he wanted to see her outside of school again.

A couple days later, he popped by her classroom again. It looked a lot different. "I wanted to showcase more student art alongside some of my own," she explained.

He devoured all of it with his eyes. Hers were among the most beautiful he'd ever seen, and most were Arthurian-themed—he had a special affinity for everything Arthurian. She stood by him as he looked at every new painting. When he got to one depicting King Arthur, he couldn't help but raise his hand to touch. Her hand caught his and a shock seemed to travel between their hands. He turned to look at her, suddenly feeling like he'd known her much longer than he had.

She smiled and chastised him gently. He smiled back and took her hand to squeeze it. "Would you go to dinner with me?"

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Unless—"

"Tonight is perfect."

He met her at her place. When she opened her door, his mouth fell open. She wore a beautiful knee-length blue dress with a sheer purple wrap. _She was gorgeous!_ He closed his mouth as she smiled, beautiful brown eyes twinkling. _How in the world had he captured the interest of this enchanting creature?_

Their romance progressed fairly quickly after that. On their third date, she let him hold her hand. On their fourth, he kissed her sweet lips at her front door. For their seventh date, she cooked him dinner and they made out to a rom-com on T.V. On their tenth date, they went ring-shopping. And on their twelfth, in front of a fountain in the city's park, he proposed. She accepted.

Sometimes you just _know_.

* * *

 **That work out all right? Thanks for reading! Next: a little fusion with _Buffy_.**


	7. Fusion

**And here's my _Buffy-Merlin_ fusion: Arty is the Slayer; the other 3 make up the Scoobies. Title: _Not Again_**

* * *

 _There is one chosen every generation_ . . . blah, blah, blah. He'd heard it before, back in L.A. And look how _that_ had ended up. Now Arthur was stuck in this new town and at a new school. There was little hope he'd make friends here until he saw some football-player types picking on another boy at the drinking fountain. He used his innate sense of logic to get the jocks to leave and introduced himself to the other boy.

"You're new here," he stated obviously. "Sorry, I'm not used to actually talking to people. I'm Merlin." The boy had dark, unruly hair, really blue eyes and pale skin. But he was about the same height as Arthur, which seemed odd for someone so shy.

 _Maybe it won't be so bad here_ , he thought as the boy led him outside to eat lunch. For someone "not used to talking to people," Merlin sure talked a lot. Once they sat on a bench out in the sun, Arthur decided to ask about normal high school stuff. "So what's there to do around here?"

"Oh, there's the Bronze, a club built in an old warehouse. I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you're used to, but it's all right." Merlin looked around as if checking for listeners, then leaned close and said, "And then there's the strange deaths and disappearances. Does this sound familiar to you, Slayer?"

"How did you—no, you know what?" Arthur stood. "I came here for a fresh start. I've done my part to rid the world of vampires. I'm retired."

Merlin stood too. "You can't retire. There will always be a need for the Slayer, as these deaths prove. Let me just—"

Right then a pair of girls walked up to them. "Hey Merlin," said one, who looked like she could be his sister. "Is this the new guy?" She and her friend eyed him up, then she stuck out her hand. "I'm Morgana and this is Gwen. Welcome to Sunnydale."

He shook Morgana's hand and looked at Gwen. She just blushed and looked down at her shoes. Merlin spoke up again. "So Arthur, about that—"

Morgana interrupted him, luckily. "Hey, did you hear about the dead guy they found in the girls' locker room? Totally freaky. But at least they cancelled gym for the rest of the day, woo hoo!"

Arthur stared. "A dead guy? Did he have any marks on him?" He exchanged glances with Merlin.

"I don't know. But I've got to go. Computer programming next! Yeah!" She yanked on Gwen's arm and they were gone.

"Is she always like that?"

"Morgana? Yeah. But this dead guy, do you think it was a vampire?"

"That's what I'm going to find out."

It turned out that the dead guy _had_ been sucked dry, which was bad news for everyone. Before school ended, Merlin had invited him to come out to the Bronze. Arthur agreed, because if there was vampire action in town, the best place for them to pick up dinner was at a crowded club.

That ended up being the worst night out Arthur had had in a long time. There were vampires present and they kidnapped Gwen and a couple others. That's how he discovered the plan to make some vampire master rise so he could open up a portal to hell, which was evidently right under the high school. To make things worse, Morgana had been in the library when he was discussing all this with Merlin and she now knew his secret. Even worse, she wanted to help. But at least the beautiful Gwen was talking to him now. Saving someone's life apparently had benefits.

Arthur managed to get Morgana and Gwen to stay with Merlin while _he_ went to rescue the others who'd been club-napped. It turned out that Morgana _wasn't_ Merlin's sister and _he_ had a crush on her. And her computer skills were very helpful in determining the vampires' location.

He got down into the city's sewer only to discover the other victims waiting, but they had been turned and used to bait him. That was nearly the end of him, but luckily he found an unexpected exit that led into daylight. But not before the vamps had "monologued" the master plan—to harvest humans that night so the "Master" would have the power to open the hellmouth and thus end the world.

This time Arthur didn't object when Merlin, Morgana and Gwen wanted to help. He went home for his weapons and together they sneaked to the Bronze, where they found the Master's lackeys. The chief one had the power to suck the blood and life energy out of humans and funnel it to the Master. He'd already begun his snacking by the time Arthur busted in through the roof. He took on the chief while his friends- because that's what they'd become -broke in the back and started rescuing the potential victims.

Arthur was able to keep the chief unaware of his friends and beat him up in the process. He'd nearly got in a bite, but Arthur was able to trick him with the threat of sunlight and stake him. And maybe he was imagining it, but he thought he heard a furious yell from somewhere below him.

A minute later, Merlin, Morgana and Gwen rushed into the room and threw their arms around him, saying things like, "You did it! You rock! The slayer wins! Yeah!" It made him feel really good that he'd not only found friends, but they knew his secret and had proved supportive and helpful. If he was stuck doing this slayer gig, he'd at least have loyal friends to make it bearable.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! There'll be at least 1 more _Buffy_ fusion, but that's for later. Next: a modern take on 1.1.**


	8. Fish Out of Water

**Title: _Twist on Fate_ , Summary: Merls goes to work for the British crown- modern twist on 1.1.**

* * *

Merlin craned his neck to see out the window of the car. The palace loomed in front; he still had a hard time believing he'd be living and working here with his uncle, the Royal Physician. _How in the world would he ever fit in?_ He was just a small-town country boy. All he knew about the Royals he read or saw on television. As they drove up to the front steps, he could see Gaius and two other people standing there, waiting. He quickly tamped down his excitement and waited for the car to stop.

Once it did, he waited for the driver to open the door. Merlin stepped out and Gaius walked right up to him. "Good to see you my boy." He embraced his nephew warmly then turned to introduce the others. "This is Leon Knight, head of security and his colleague, Morgana Le Fay, head of magical security."

Morgana approached first. "Good to meet you. I'm told you're quite handy with magic in addition to your medical skills." She held out her hand to shake his.

Merlin blushed but shook her hand. "Yes, though I'm not as well trained in it. I was hoping Gaius could help a bit with that."

"Of course," the physician replied.

"Good to meet you Merlin," Leon said, holding out his hand to shake Merlin's. "If you come with me I'll get your clearances and badge set up."

The group of four walked up the steps into the palace. It was a long walk to the security office so Merlin got to see quite a bit of the palace on the way. He found it much more beautiful than he'd heard; his head turned all around. The others around him just smiled indulgently.

Once he was all set, Gaius took him to his rooms in the palace. There was a small room close by that Merlin would live in. He was just excited he'd get actually get to live there.

Gaius showed him all around his room and office then described Merlin's duties as his assistant. The Pendragons were a fairly healthy family, though the Crown Prince took his sports quite seriously and suffered several small injuries as a result. Gaius informed him that he'd get to meet the King and his son that night at a banquet celebrating twenty-five years of Uther's rule. The young physician was so excited he nearly tripped into Gaius's drug cabinet.

Later, Merlin went to his room to change for dinner. He was glad Gaius had told him everything he'd need for the job, which included a tux. He changed quickly and found Gaius waiting for him in the hall. "You ready to meet the family?" He asked.

"No," Merlin replied with a nervous laugh. But he followed Gaius's when the old man started walking.

As they walked to the dining hall, they passed through the foyer again. A beautiful woman was walking through. He noticed an oddly-shaped bottle sticking out of her handbag. "That's Lady Helen Mora," Gaius whispered.

"The famous singer?"

"The same."

 _Oh, the bottle must be something for her voice_ , Merlin thought. "She's beautiful."

"She's the King's special guest; she'll be singing at the banquet."

"Fantastic." And they'd reached the dining hall.

Several well-dresses dressed guests milled around, chatting with drinks in their hands. Merlin and Gaius went to the drinks station but only got sodas—tonight they were on duty.

A few minutes later the talk quieted and there were several taps on the floor. A loud voice announced the King and the Crown Prince. The King looked well for his age and entered smiling. Prince Arthur was only a couple years older than Merlin. And now that he saw him in person, he could see better why half the Kingdom was in love with him.

The King and Prince mingled for a few minutes before a gong sounded. The King made a short speech then invited everyone to sit. Lady Helen would perform first. She appeared at the opposite side of the hall, standing on a short dais.

She opened her mouth and the most beautiful voice Merlin had ever heard began echoing throughout the room. It had an ethereal, spellbinding quality. In fact, most everyone in the room seemed so transfixed that their eyelids were drooping. Merlin clapped his hands over his ears and watched a Count across the hall slump to the table. Around him, others began falling forward as well. Even stranger, cobwebs appeared and began draping themselves over everything. _Lady Helen was a witch!_

He watched to see what she'd do next; he was shocked to see her pull a dagger from the bodice of her dress. She stalked toward the head table and he followed her line of sight to Arthur. He looked up to see she was right under the massive chandelier, so he spoke a single word to send it crashing down onto her.

The people in the hall began waking. Arthur and Uther stood and gazed down at the witch. Her glamour flickered and she transformed into an old woman. _Not_ Lady Helen. People began talking to each other, not watching the witch. Only Merlin saw her raise herself up enough to throw the dagger at Arthur.

Merlin jumped out of his seat and ran toward the Prince, consciously slowing down time on the way. He got there in time to pull Arthur out of the way of the dagger. It embedded itself into Arthur's chair as they fell to the floor. They got up slowly.

Both King and Prince stared at Merlin. Gaius rushed over to examine Arthur. Uther recovered enough to speak: "You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well . . ."

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Majesty."

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Well . . ."

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's personal bodyguard."

The entire room broke out into applause. Arthur thanked him graciously. Gaius patted him on the back. Morgana congratulated him on spotting the witch so soon. It turned out that Uther had condemned her son after he'd used his magic to rob and murder others. Naturally, "Lady Helen" didn't agree with that and felt that since he "took" her son she'd take his.

Merlin was gratified by all the attention. He'd thought he'd have a hard time fitting in here, but now he had two rewarding positions, a magic teacher and new friends. He had a feeling he'd fit in sooner than he thought.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! :) Next- Arthur decides to find breakfast in the wild.**


	9. Illness-Injury

**Ever wonder why we never see Arthur gathering food in the woods? Because he once fetched poison berries for breakfast. Title: _Arthur can't Pick 'Em_**

* * *

Arthur sat at the mouth of the cave and watched the source of his frustration. _Rain, bah!_ He and Merlin had been driven in here two days ago by this awful downpour. It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't been on a solo hunt with only his servant for company. Said servant was now sitting against the far wall of the cave, trying not to look at his master. Things were tense—a secret had been revealed and this enforced closeness hadn't helped.

The Prince turned away and crawled over to where they'd put their gear and what little game he'd managed to bag before the rain. And that game wouldn't last them much longer, so he prayed this weather would clear soon so they could gather more food and go home.

He crawled over to the fire to brood a bit. _The_ secret that had come out had been Merlin's magic. While Arthur disliked the automatic death sentences his father gave sorcerers, that didn't mean he _liked_ sorcerers. They _were_ people though, and people should have fair trials. That was one reason Merlin was still alive.

Soon enough it was dark. Arthur settled into the bedroll he'd been sitting on and addressed his servant. "I'm going to bed. If this clears up by morning then I'll go search for food." Merlin just nodded. Arthur pulled his blankets over himself and grudgingly thought, _well at least magic has one good use—we don't have to search for firewood_. Merlin's magic kept what they _did_ have burning perpetually.

As Arthur woke, he sensed something missing from the background. He opened his eyes and looked, but it wasn't until he listened that he heard the absence of rain. _Hallelujah!_ He got quietly out of bed, put on his boots and slipped out of the cave. Merlin was still asleep.

Fortunately he was able to find fruit-bearing bushes and nut trees rather close by. These would make breakfast a veritable feast. He picked up nuts and berries that looked like they could be blueberries, all that he could find. He put these in the game sack he'd brought along and walked back to the cave.

Merlin was awake and sitting by the fire warming himself. "What have you got there?" he asked.

"Nuts and blueberries to go along with our rabbit!" the Prince crowed. The rabbit had been cooked last night, so he went over to the pack to pull it out and warm it by the fire. He also pulled out their plates and began dividing his spoils between them. "Here you go," he said finally, handing Merlin's plate to him.

He grabbed a handful of blueberries and chucked them into his mouth the same time as Merlin said, "Don't—" His face looked alarmed and his hand reached toward Arthur. But the Prince had already started chewing the berries.

"What is it?" He kept chewing the berries while Merlin looked at him in horror.

"These aren't blueberries. They're belladonna berries, which are extremely poisonous.

Arthur immediately stopped chewing and spat his mouthful into the fire. He tried removing them from his tongue by swiping at it with both hands. As he went for the water skin, Merlin said, "It doesn't really matter. You've already swallowed their juice. Soon symptoms will set in."

The Prince paled. "What symptoms?"

"Headache, rash, confusion, hallucinations, fever, and eventually . . . paralysis and death."

Maybe that paralysis was already present, because Arthur couldn't move. "How long do I have?"

"A few hours. I can maybe round up the ingredients for the cure in that time, but I don't want to leave you alone."

" _Merlin_ . . ." He'd just started to sweat. "Is it hot in here?"

"Lie down." Arthur crawled over to his bedroll. Merlin dumped the poisonous berries from his plate into the fire. He poured water from the water skin into it then tore off his neckerchief and set it in the plate. He brought all that over to where Arthur lay, wrung out the cloth and laid it on Arthur's head.

The headache set in just then. "Merlin, don't leave me." He looked up at his servant. "Is there another way to cure this?"

Merlin stared back for a moment before replying. "You won't like it."

"Tell me."

Merlin helped him drink some water. "I-I . . ."

"Just tell me. Is it magic?"

"Yes, there's a spell that will heal you. But I've had little luck with healing spells in the past. You could still die."

"Well, we don't have enough time to get back to Gaius, do we?"

"No."

"Perform the spell."

"Are you su—?"

"If you ask me if I'm sure I'm gonna vomit on your lap. Now get it together and perform the spell!"

Merlin closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his expression was strong and confident. He held one hand over Arthur's stomach and one over his head. The Prince watched him as he spoke, " _Ic hæle þina þrowunga_." His eyes flashed that telltale gold, but Arthur didn't feel any better.

"Wha—"

Merlin cut him off. " _Ic hæle þina þrowunga_. **_Ic hæle þina þrowunga_**." He said the last one more forcefully than the other times and Arthur found that his headache had faded completely. "I did it!" Merlin crowed.

"How can you tell?" Arthur tried to sit but Merlin pushed him back down.

"I felt the magic rush from me that time." He looked down at Arthur. "You should stay there for a couple hours. You _did_ almost die."

"Fine." He glared at his servant. But as soon as two hours are up, we're leaving."

"Agreed."

Arthur closed his eyes, but he couldn't rest. He needed to say something first. "I-I'm sorry for how I treated you. After, you know, you first revealed your magic. I should have known you weren't- aren't -evil. And if you come back to Camelot with me, I won't tell anyone."

"'If?' Of course I will. I'm bound to protect you. But we'll talk about all that later. Rest or I'll put you to sleep forcibly."

"You wouldn't."

"Wanna find out?" He let his eyes glow.

"All right. And Merlin?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

* * *

 **Plausible, right? Thanks for reading! Next- What goes through the Prince's mind after the questing beast bites.**


	10. Telepathy-MindShare

**Title: _Guardian_ , Summary: While in his coma, Arthur ponders the mysterious connection he shares with someone.**

* * *

Even though he's lost in blackness somewhere, Arthur couldn't help but feel a connection to the outside world. He can't quite tell if it's to a person or a thing, but he can feel it tethered right in the vicinity of his heart. _Something out there is fighting for me. But what? And why?_

Just then an image flashed in front of him. Merlin. _But what's he doing with a mace? Oh_. This was the second time he'd run into the mouthy peasant and been insulted. _Again_. They fought with maces in the market, and he'd nearly lost to Merlin. He remembered the guards wanted to take Merlin back to the dungeon, but Arthur had said, " _There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it_." And he _still_ couldn't put his finger on it. But the connection fit in with this memory somehow.

Another image flashed in front of his eyes. The mysterious ball of light that had led him out of the cave that sorceress had trapped him in. The ball had seemed friendly, even intelligent. Without it, he would have never found his way out of that dark place. Later, he remembered talking to Morgana, who'd asked him how he'd managed it. He'd replied, " _I'm not sure. All I do know is I had help. Someone knew I was in trouble and sent a light to guide the way_."

" _Who?_ " she'd asked.

And all he could say was, " _I don't know. But whoever it was, I'm only here because of them_." And he'd felt that connection again, something he should know, but couldn't grasp. Like someone had been watching and reading his mind to know exactly what he'd needed and when. But what was it he was missing? And was Merlin involved?

Since Merlin had come into his life, it seemed he was always there, at his side, even when he told him to go away. No matter how rude Arthur was to him, he was there, acting as his conscience or saving his life. _What in the world motivated him to put up with me?_ No matter how he pondered it, he couldn't find a practical answer. _Unless_ . . .

The pain suddenly lightened. The darkness lifted. Thoughts scattered as his eyes fluttered open, but the feeling of _connection_ lingered. He saw his father and Gaius, who left as soon as he'd confirmed Arthur was healing. That left him with his father. "I thought we'd lost you," Uther said.

Arthur wanted to laugh. "Don't worry, Father, I'm not going to die. I think there's someone watching over me, keeping me from harm."

Uther looked surprised at this and smiled. "Maybe you're right. On your long journey to become King, you will need a guardian angel. I shall inform the court that their Prince lives." He got up and left.

Arthur thought that was odd, considering that his father put his trust in what he could see, not in something fanciful and abstract like miracles or guardian angels. Before he could ponder this further, Guinevere entered the room and he promptly forgot whatever it was he'd been thinking.

* * *

 **Not my favorite, but it fills the square and reveals one of my headcanons. :) Next- the first of a Celeb!Morgana trilogy**


	11. Celebrity

**Title: _Running Into_ . . . (aka Celeb!Morgana 1), Summary: ****Actress Morgana ducks into Merlin's coffee shop to hide from paps.**

* * *

The hood and sunglasses had evidently _not_ worked to fool the paps. The snakes had followed her anyway—she couldn't even shop for her brother's birthday gift in peace. She crossed the street and ducked into the first shop door she saw.

Looking up, she saw a skinny dark-haired man behind the counter. All around him was coffee-making equipment. _A coffee shop then_. She whipped off her sunglasses and said the first thing that came to mind, "Hide me, please."

The man looked more than a little surprised but nodded and said, "Okay." He glanced behind him then said, "Here, the restroom. I'll tell them you went out the back."

"Thank you." She slipped inside the room he was pointing to, locked the door and left the light off.

She heard the bell ding on the door to the outside. Several loud voices spoke at once. She couldn't hear much, but her name was mentioned more than once. The shop owner replied in a much milder tone, telling them the cover story he'd come up with. After a bit of arguing, the door's bell dinged again and the loud voices left. She sighed and relaxed against the door.

A minute or so later, she was startled by a soft knock. "Miss Le Fay? They're long gone. You can come out now."

Morgana opened the door to the bluest eyes she's ever seen. "Thank you . . ."

"Merlin."

"Thank you Merlin. I definitely owe you. Can I maybe autograph something for you?"

"Um, that would be lovely, Miss Le Fay—"

"Morgana, please."

"Morgana. Um, here . . ." He rummaged around his counter and came up with a cardboard cup cozy and a permanent marker.

She took both from him and smiled. "You're so much nicer than the people I usually deal with." She set the cozy on the counter and signed it, also writing her London phone number. The _private_ number. "If there's ever anything I can do for you, let me know." She thought for a moment. "Any ideas for a better disguise?"

"Oh sure. Here." He took off his apron and handed it to her. He also handed her a T-shirt and ball cap with the shop's logo. "Tuck your hair up into this and put on the shirt and apron. You can take my friend's reading glasses. I'll just get him a new pair."

She smiled and took everything he held out to her then went back into the restroom. When she came out a few minutes later, he looked her over. "Much better. Though it's you that makes the outfit, not the other way around."

Morgana smiled again. "You _must_ let me pay for all this." He started to shake his head. "No, I insist. And I'll need another t-shirt. I ventured out today to get my brother a birthday gift and I think he'll love this."

"Thank you Miss—Morgana."

She pulled out her card and paid. "No, thank _you_. And remember, I still owe you a favor." With that, she swept out of the shop, the bell dinging merrily.

Merlin drooped back against the wall and slid down it. _No one will ever believe this story_ , he thought.

* * *

 **Yes, I got the idea from _Notting Hill_. Thanks for reading! Next- Gwen and Morgana share a flat.**


	12. Flatmates

**Title: _Sisters_ , Summary: Gwen answers Morgana's ad. Much fluffy female bonding ensues.**

* * *

Gwen looked from the folded up paper in her hands to the swanky building that rose in front of her. _Surely someone who could afford to live here wouldn't need a flatmate?_ But nevertheless, the ad was there and the woman- _Morgana_ -contacted. Gwen pushed through the doors, the lobby and rode the elevator up to the seventh floor.

She knocked on 701 and didn't have to wait long. A pale dark-haired woman with jade green eyes answered and said, "Guinevere?"

"That's me," Gwen replied. "But please call me Gwen."

"Gwen. Come in."

And that's how Gwen was introduced to Morgana Pendragon, aspiring fashion designer recently cut off from her uber-rich father because she "didn't want to join the family business." She needed a flatmate so she could afford to keep her posh apartment. And posh it was! Morgana told her she'd be happy to change décor to whatever style Gwen preferred, but Gwen told her it was already her style. _And it was!_ Morgana smiled brilliantly and told her they'd get along wonderfully.

After a few questions about habits, food preferences, etc. they signed an agreement. Gwen was amazed and delighted. Morgana seemed like a refreshing free spirit, bold and outspoken the way Gwen had always aspired to be. _Hopefully some of these traits will rub off on me_ , she thought. Then she might have the courage to follow her dreams too.

Gwen enlisted her friend Merlin to help her move in. Morgana seemed quite taken with him; she'd stop him to chat every time he came up with a new set of boxes. Gwen just shook her head fondly and gently pushed him to get moving again. By the end of the day, Merlin had Morgana's phone number and was gushing to Gwen how wonderful she was. Gwen just smiled.

The next night, Morgana threw Gwen a housewarming party. She'd invited Gwen's friends and a few of hers, including her half-brother Arthur. It was Gwen's turn to drool over a member of the opposite sex—Arthur was _gorgeous_. Golden-blond hair, sky-blue eyes and an enchanting laugh. Morgana and Merlin later told her he couldn't keep his eyes off of her either. He'd asked for, and been given, her number.

When Gwen wasn't working (as a professional seamstress at a bridal shop) Morgana often asked her to try on designs. She even filled in as a model a few times. One evening, she was wearing a gorgeous lavender dress when Arthur walked in without knocking. He stopped and stared at her for several long moments while she blushed. He asked her out on the spot.

A few months later, she and Arthur were steadily dating, as were Morgana and Merlin. She and Morgana would dish post-date while watching old rom-coms and eating ice cream. Both women were helplessly in love with their men and could see themselves dating no other.

A year after that, they were planning their double wedding. The men had thrown their hands up and let them—it was a good thing _they_ got along well too. Morgana and Gwen might not be flatmates for much longer, but they'd always be sisters, not just through marriage, but from long months of shared moments.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! :) Next- Arty and Merls get lost on a drive.**


	13. Stranded

**A bit of Merthur bromance for y'all- they get** **stuck on the side of the road, at night in the middle of nowhere. Title: _Stranded_**

* * *

"I _thought_ you said this was a short-cut!" Arthur whined.

"It _is_. At least I _remember_ it being a short-cut," Merlin replied.

"And how long ago was _that_?"

"Um . . . you don't wanna know. But it shows on the map!"

"Give me that thing." Arthur snatched the paper map from Merlin's hands and gave it a once-over. "You _idiot_! You've been reading it upside down. Yeesh, join the digital age already!"

"I _have_ a mobile phone."

"Yeah, a vanilla one. You probably can't even surf the web on that thing." He pulled out his smartphone.

"Hey! I have a computer for that. Why would I want to do it anywhere else?"

Arthur frowned as he looked at the signal strength. "There's no signal out here." He turned it to the window. "There! One bar!"

"Why would that be a problem? Unless we're out of petrol or . . ." He caught the guilty look on Arthur's face. "We're out of petrol, aren't we?"

"Well, whose bright idea was it to take some obscure road in the middle-of-nowhere Wales?"

"Prat!"

"Idiot!"

"Cabbage-head!"

" _What?_ Oh never mind." Arthur stopped to think for a moment. "You know who I'm gonna have to call to rescue us?"

"Gwen?"

"Oh no. I want her to think I'm 'with it.' This would _totally_ blow that image."

"Oh no. You don't mean . . ."

"Yep. _Morgana_."

"What about _my_ image?"

"I don't think you need to worry. I think she likes you despite your image. Or maybe even _because_ of it."

"Really?"

"Really. But I'm still calling her."

Merlin sighed. "Go ahead. There's not really much you can do to ruin the night further."

" _Hey!_ "

"You're the one who didn't watch the petrol level."

"Gee thanks."

Merlin made a "get on with it" gesture. "Go on. Call your sister. The sooner she gets here, the sooner I can snuggle with her."

" _Hey!_ That's my _sister_ you're talking about."

"Yeah, and she loves it."

"Gak! Say no more."

"Sure. We could always talk about what you and Gwen get up to . . ."

"Shut up, _Mer_ lin! I'm going outside to call." He opened the car door, stepped out and slammed it behind him.

 _He only did that to cover his blush_ , Merlin thought. A few minutes later, Arthur got back in the car. He'd called Morgana, who was using her GPS to find them. She'd be there in two hours. Merlin griped at all the Arthur-alone-time he had to endure, but after a half hour or so, they both fell asleep.

When Morgana arrived, she knocked on the window to wake them. They yelled for a minute before finally realizing it was her. It was Merlin's turn to blush, but then again, she'd brought Gwen. Arthur thought he'd die from mortification. It turned out that she'd booked them rooms at a small motel back they way they'd come, since it was so late. Arthur got alone time with Gwen—and Merlin got to snuggle. Both of them thought their "disaster trip" was worth it after all.

* * *

 **I did indeed _sort of_ base this on one of the DVD extras (? I don't have the DVDs, just YouTube). Next: Morgana doesn't die right away.**


	14. Presumed Dead

**Summary : Morgana's thoughts after Merlin stabs her in 5.13, with a hint of Mergana. Title: _As I lay Dying_**

* * *

As she laid dying, Morgana thought of the words Merlin had said before and after he'd stabbed her. She'd been telling Arthur how she would stay with him " _until the wolves gorge on your carcass and bathe in your blood_." That's when she finally noticed Merlin had crept up behind her.

" _No, the time for all this bloodshed is over_." She'd turned to face him and he continued, " _I blame myself for what you've become . . . but this has to end_."

She'd replied haughtily. " _I am a High Priestess. No mortal blade can kill me_." Merlin then stabbed her and she'd felt the magic in the blade.

" _This is no mortal blade. Like yours, it was forged in a dragon's breath_." Oddly enough, he held her and lowered her to the ground gently. He then withdrew the sword and said, " _Goodbye, Morgana_."

She'd thought she was finally, _finally_ going to win—Arthur and Emrys were at her mercy. But she should have known better than to try to thwart destiny. Emrys- _Merlin_ -had always been one step ahead of her. Exactly like one's doom should be. Somehow she'd forgotten the destiny part.

She'd heard everything they said after she'd collapsed. Clearly they thought her dead. But just as it was apparently taking Arthur a while to die, it would take her a while to die. The pain wasn't so bad now.

They mentioned how they had to get to the lake. _Why?_ No mere lake could heal Arthur . . . unless it was the Lake of Avalon. The Sidhe had the sort of power that could heal a wound of this magnitude. Maybe they would help her too. _If_ she regained the strength she needed.

That being decided, she thought over her regrets. There were not as many as she'd have thought. She regretted finding out she was Uther's daughter. Before then, she'd only wanted Uther dead. Since then, she'd also wanted the throne. That meant Arthur, and Gwen, by extension, were in her way. Merlin had been too; he'd always seemed to know her plans.

She regretted what she'd done to Lancelot. Dragging him from death to be her puppet—it seemed _beneath_ him somehow. Her plan for him had worked, for a while. But Gwen had somehow redeemed herself in the end, so it had been all for nothing.

She also regretted not acting on her feelings for Merlin, back when she'd lived in Camelot. He may have told her his secret and maybe even taught her about magic. He could have told her how he lived in Camelot, under Uther's eye, and still be as happy as he'd appeared. Maybe her past feelings were why she'd never killed him.

The pain flared again and she could now feel the life draining from her more rapidly. She imagined a lot of time had passed since they'd left her there. The sound of a slow, heavy tread grew nearer to her. _I guess he didn't save Arthur after all_ . . . She felt rather than saw Merlin come up to her and place a hand on her head. " _Merlin_ ," she croaked.

He jumped, but replied, " _Morgana?_ How . . .?"

Darkness was overcoming her. "Merlin . . . I'm sorry. So . . . sorry."

"For what, Morgana?"

One more breath; she exhaled, "Everything." Then the darkness won and she was gone.

She was too far away to see more tears trickle from Merlin's eyes. And she didn't hear him stifle a sob as he said, "Morgana, _in sibbe gerest_."

* * *

 **Did that surprise anyone? I feel like she got shafted there, even if she was an evil witch. Next- couples' beach time**


	15. Beach Day

**In this one, some people have _things_ in mind besides sand and surf. That means there's heavy innuendo, in case that bothers anyone.  Title\- _Fun in the Sun_.**

* * *

It was supposed to have been just the two of them at the beach (their first as a married couple), but Arthur and Gwen had found out about it and invited themselves along. Also uninvited was the record high temperature that day. But Merlin and Morgana were determined to enjoy themselves anyway.

After the four had set all their things down, Morgana whipped off her wrap to reveal the tiniest bikini Merlin had ever seen on a woman. He felt like his eyes were popping out of his head, but managed to control _other_ parts of himself by looking away—it took a _huge_ effort.

She ran down to the water then, while he watched. He tried not to notice how some parts of her bounced, especially when she turned to beckon to him. He dropped what he was holding and ran to her. She took his hand and pulled him into the water. Arthur and Gwen soon followed, and for a while all four played and splashed in the shallows.

The other two eventually took a break to dry out on their towels, leaving Morgana and Merlin in the water. She tugged at his hand and said, "Come," as she pulled him to chest-high water.

She shivered and pressed closer to him. When he looked at her questioningly, she said, "I'm a little cold." He put his arms around her to hold her; she wrapped hers around him too. "Thanks."

His back was to the waves so she kept getting splashed in the face. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Certain parts of her were now pressed right up against certain parts of him, but she said nothing. They stayed this way for several minutes; the position allowed her to bury her face into his head when waves came. And he didn't mind at all. _Nooo way_.

At last she slid down his body and suggested they go sun themselves. She wanted to eat soon but wished to be dry first, so they walked back up to Arthur and Gwen. She rubbed on her tanning oil then they both lay down face-up on their side by side towels; she took his hand— _that_ kept him awake.

After a while, Morgana let go so she could turn over. Within a few minutes of turning over, she reached up and undid the strings on her bikini. Merlin pretended not to notice until she asked, "Would you rub the oil onto my back?"

He blinked several times and his mouth fell open. She opened her eyes to see if he was still there, so he replied, "Yeah," and began doing as she'd asked. He'd never touched this part of her back _bare_ before, so he was surprised by the warm, silky feel of her skin there. He got lost in the sensation until she told him he'd probably done enough.

An indeterminate amount of time later, just when he felt fairly dry, Gwen and Arthur made rumblings about lunch. Morgana agreed just as Merlin's stomach growled. She tied her top on again and sat up to reach for their food basket. He helped her distribute the food and they ate the delicious sandwiches Gwen had made.

After they finished, Morgana suggested they go up to the beach's snack bar for frozen treats. The other three agreed and they were off. Morgana chose a Popsicle while the others opted for different ice cream treats. Merlin was puzzled until they sat back down on their towels to enjoy them. Morgana sat facing him and began by breaking her Popsicle in half. She put one half in her mouth and began to lick it up and down. Merlin was mesmerized. Then she put it in her mouth and swirled her tongue around the top. Merlin nearly started panting. She then pushed it in and out of her mouth rapidly and began making _mmmm_ sounds. Merlin's ice cream melted in his hand.

That did it. He was suddenly _very_ glad Arthur and Gwen had driven there separately. He stood suddenly, dropping the melted treat. The other couple looked at him in surprise; they hadn't noticed anything unusual, _of course not_. Merlin stammered out, "Um, I just remembered I have a thing at home to take care of. For work." He looked at Morgana who was smiling innocently. "Do you want to stay or come with me?"

"Oh, I'm going with you," she replied. She swallowed her Popsicle and began stashing their stuff in the bags they'd brought. Arthur just looked at them like they'd gone insane. When she finished, they picked up their bags. With "see you laters" and cheery waves, they were off.

They hurriedly tossed their bags in the car and got inside. He turned to her, "You did all that on purpose."

"Of course I did. _I want you_. Why not make it obvious?" She leaned over and gave him a hungry kiss; he responded and soon tongues were involved.

When they came up for air, Merlin panted, "We . . . should go . . . . before we give . . . everyone . . . a show."

"Let's get out of here." They both buckled up and soon they were flying back to their house to satisfy their _other_ hunger.

* * *

 **Hmmm? Thanks for reading! Next- Back to canon era where Merlin finds _the_ bracelet.**


	16. Curtain Fic

**OK now i know why Curtain!fics are so _boring_.  Summary: Arthur's forced to go school shopping with this unreasonable father. Title: _It's Curtains (For You!)_**

* * *

Arthur sighed as their car pulled up to the department store. He'd hoped to be shopping for his dorm room by himself, but _no_. His father had insisted on accompanying him for moral support. _More like dictating what I can and cannot buy_ , he thought.

He waited until the driver opened the door and slid out after his father. Uther, for his part, looked remarkably pleased to be accompanying his son on this extremely banal task. _He'll be bored out of his mind_. But Uther beckoned Arthur forward and they went into the store together.

The first item on Arthur's list was bed linens. He wanted his favorite color, red, but of course his father felt that something neutral would be nicer. Arthur argued that it would be _his_ dorm room which Uther would see infrequently, if at all. Uther relented but insisted they get towels and curtains in the same color. Arthur preferred something a bit less dramatic on the windows, and once again got his way. _Miraculously_ , he thought.

Arthur felt like that was the end of his list, but his father had other ideas. He insisted that a rug was needed, so they went to look at those and found one complementary to the linens. Uther also suggested that any desk, television and sofa the university had put in the room would be inadequate. At that point, Arthur conceded defeat. He let his father choose everything from then on. He gave his input when asked, of course, but secretly though everything his father was buying was unnecessary. _He just wanted an excuse to throw his wealth around_.

He tried to tell Uther that these items weren't needed, that he'd seen what the uni provided and it was perfectly adequate. All his father did was minimize the idea and insist they go look at silverware and dinnerware next. _No different than any normal day then._

By the time Uther had called for the car, it seemed like they'd purchased half the store. And judging by the receipt, they probably had. Arthur rolled his eyes and tried to ignore his sore feet. The only thing that made him feel better was the thought that Morgana would have to undergo the same kind of torture when _she_ began uni.

* * *

 **This is my first drabble to approach actual drabble size LOL! Thanks for reading! Next- a follow-up to my first Arthur!Slayer drabble. :)**


	17. Game Night

**LOL I am such an airhead! I already posted the Arthur!Slayer sequel under my other drabble series, _Unwinding_ , so check it out there if you're still interested. :) This one is called _She Said Yes!_ and is the sequel to my Celebrity!Morgana drabble from this series. ;)**

* * *

Merlin pulled the piece of cardboard out of his pocket again for the umpteenth time that day. _Should I or shouldn't I? She did say_ . . . he shook his head forcefully and shoved it back into his pocket. Everyone in the shop probably thought he was crazy, but fortunately none of them had left because of it.

He continued the same thought process and behavior for the rest of his shift. When Will came to replace him, he was leaning against the wall, one hand in his chin and one holding the cardboard. He didn't notice Will until his friend said his name. He quickly stuffed the cardboard bit in his pocket and looked up at Will. "Hey."

"Hey. You _still_ thinking about calling her?" He rolled his eyes. "Just do it already!"

"I can't."

"Oh come on. She gave you that number for a reason—use it!"

A resolute look came into Merlin's eyes. "You're right!" He pulled out his phone and walked into the back room. He walked out five minutes later with a glazed look on his face. "She said yes. _Oh my_ —she said _yes_!"

Will walked over and clapped Merlin on his back. "Good on ya! So she's coming Friday night?"

"Yeah."

Will snickered. "Great! Well, I look forward to seeing your famous girlfriend."

oO0Oo

Merlin's doorbell rang late Friday afternoon. He opened the door to Morgana Le Fay, the gorgeous actress who'd taken refuge in his shop a couple of weeks ago. "Hi," she offered.

"Come in," he replied and widened the door for her to enter. He closed it behind her.

"So, game night huh?"

"Yeah, it's a tradition my friends and I started in Uni. Whoever wasn't out that night would get together and play. Sometimes it was board games; sometimes it was video games, but always Friday night."

"That sounds like a lot of fun." She frowned as she sat on his sofa. "So, they don't believe we've met, huh?"

"Can you blame them?"

"Not really. But I'm happy to help you out. It's the least I can do." She smiled brightly at him and he nearly melted.

"Well, thank you—" he started, but his doorbell rang.

It was Lance and Gwen. He let them in and introduced them to Morgana. They were very surprised, but recovered themselves nicely. Fortunately they weren't the type of people to fawn over a person—Gwen met several well-to-do people in the course of her business. She ran a wedding dress boutique.

Next at the door was Freya. When she saw Morgana, she clammed up and ran into the kitchen. Merlin, Lance and Gwen let Morgana know that Freya was painfully shy and this was typical for her. She'd warm up over the course of the evening.

Last to arrive was Will. He walked in and his mouth fell open. _One of those_ , Morgana thought. She went over to Merlin and took his hand. "Who's this _darling_?" she asked him.

Both men were surprised, but Merlin hid it better. "This is Will. He also works at the shop."

"It's so lovely to meet you, Will." She turned to Merlin. "So what are we playing tonight, darling?" She kissed his cheek for good measure.

"I thought we'd start with _Apples to Apples_ then work our way into _Sorry_ if we felt like it."

"I can't wait!"

Everyone put their food and drink offerings on Merlin's table while he brought out his games. Morgana made sure to seat herself next to him. As the night progressed, she took great joy in the looks Merlin's friends darted at her and Merlin, like they couldn't believe how lucky he was. The thing was, she didn't pretend all that much—she genuinely _liked_ Merlin. He was a down-to-earth guy with a quirky sense of humor. While he wasn't classically handsome, his eyes were the most unusual shade of blue she'd ever seen. And his cheekbones—well, she could amuse herself for hours just by running her fingers over them.

Merlin's friends turned out to be some of the nicest people she'd ever met. Even before her television and movie success, her social circles had moved in different directions. They were genuinely kind and generous; they didn't pander or try too hard. _I could really learn to love these people_.

At the end of the first game, which shy Freya won, they all decided to call it a night. Gwen, Lance, Will, and Freya were still giving her and Merlin looks. _Maybe they thought the two of us want some alone time?_ Whatever the reason, they bid her goodnight and took their extra food.

Once they'd left, Merlin looked nervous. "Um, thank you for coming. You didn't have to . . ."

"Oh I absolutely did! And I had a great time! It's been a while since I've been able to enjoy such a simple pleasure."

He blushed. "Well, now we're even so—"

She leaned forward quickly and kissed him soundly. When she pulled away, she said, "Oh, I don't think so." She giggled at his dazed look. "Call me again sometime, because _you_ owe _me_ now." She winked then walked out the door. She had a feeling she'd be hearing from him again soon.

* * *

 **I have one more to go in the Celeb!Morgana series. Next- Morgs and Merls meet in the park, unusually.**


	18. The Bracelet

**This is what I imagine happening if Merlin found the bracelet shade!Lance gave Gwen. Title\- _The Bracelet_**

* * *

 _This is going about as well as planned_ , Merlin thought. After a discussion with Gaius, he'd decided to tell Arthur that Gwen has been his informant about Agravaine. It was extremely risky, considering he'd been threatened with exile twice in almost as many days. But the King had been softening toward his former fiancée, so maybe . . .

Alas no. Arthur was _furious_ he'd brought up both Gwen and Agravaine in the same sentence. "I swore I'd put you into exile if you ever mentioned either one of those two again. I know you think you're trying to help, but you're really not. Because of that, you're merely spending a _week_ in the dungeon."

"But—"

"No. Hopefully you'll learn your lesson." He went to the doors and opened one. " _Guards!_ " Two guards entered, looking around for the threat. "Take Merlin to the dungeon. He's to stay for a week—visitors are okay. And find George for me."

Merlin, who'd been passive since he'd last tried to speak, balked. "George? _Really?_ That hurts."

"Good. Think on that. Bye now." Arthur waved and gestured to the guards, who gently led Merlin out.

Soon he was down in the dark, dank basement. Unfortunately he was quite familiar with many of the cells. The one they chose to deposit him into was the same one Gwen had been held in before her exile. He settled down on the straw floor. _Well, at least I can have a nap now_.

After Merlin woke from his nap, he started pacing. And while he was pacing, he saw something gleaming in the corner. It was a bracelet, probably the one he'd noticed Gwen wearing before her trial. When he was close enough to reach for it, he sensed a magical signature—Morgana's.

He picked the thing up to confirm his suspicion. It had definitely been created by Morgana. But what the enchantment did, he couldn't tell. He'd just have to wait for Gaius to come visit. _Being locked away when you can escape is so_ frustrating _!_

Gaius did eventually come in the mid-afternoon. He confirmed Merlin's suspicions about the bracelet and deduced that the enchantment was designed to reawaken Gwen's feelings for Lancelot. _She'd had no chance against it!_ Merlin suggested that _Gaius_ take this information to the King, since the warlock really had no desire to be exiled.

Arthur came to visit that evening. Gaius had explained everything and Arthur had believed him. But aside from searching for Gwen, there wasn't much he could do. And he _refused_ to talk about his uncle. But he _did_ shorten Merlin's stay to three days.

The warlock was grateful, but despaired at the King's stubbornness. If he was going to be the King he was destined to be, he had to learn to listen—be open to new ideas. Merlin was confident he could, with Gwen (she _would_ return), turn him into that King.

* * *

 **Maybe someday I'll expand this- I'm making it my mission to right perceived wrongs (aka fill plot holes). Next- Cute Merlin, Arthur, Gaius fun.**


	19. Amnesia-MemoryLoss

**Something like this had to happen eventually, and I think it was sooner rather than later, hence, the following story. :D Summary\- Merlin really did hit Arthur too hard to separate him from Sophia. Title\- _Fuzzy_**

* * *

He came to in a soft place, but oh, his head hurt! There were voices and he groaned because he couldn't make them out. But as he came further awake, he identified the voice saying, "Arthur? Arthur?" _Merlin_.

"What happened? Where am I?" he asked. It felt familiar, but not a whole lot was making sense right now.

"Can you remember anything?"

" _Oh!_ My head! There was a girl. Sophia, she . . . I asked my father something about her, I asked him . . ." _Oh no!_ He sat up in bed ( _that's_ where he was). "What was I thinking?" Arthur said.

"Well, we did wonder. Especially when you eloped with her last night."

"I did _what?_ "

"Merlin had to bring you back to Camelot," Gaius said.

 _He was here too?_ "I don't recall _any_ of this."

"Must've been some blow," Gaius mused.

 _Huh?_ "What blow?"

"Well . . . uh . . . when I caught up with you, I couldn't persuade you to return, you were beyond reason. So I had to _make_ you," Merlin explained.

"You managed to knock me out?"

"Yep. With a lump of wood." _He looked_ way _too cheerful about it_.

"He only did it to bring you back safely," Gaius added.

Arthur pointed menacingly at Merlin. No one . . . can know about this." He turned to point at Gaius. "Any of it. Is that understood?"

Merlin and Gaius looked at each other and nodded; Arthur fell back on his pillows. "Does this mean you remember more of it?" Merlin asked.

"No! And if you want to live, you'll forget it too."

Merlin snickered. "Not likely."

"Merlin!" Gaius interrupted.

"Fine. I'll stop. But will he ever regain his memories? Not that he'll want to . . . "

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"Sophia had you under an enchantment, so your behavior was quite . . . interesting."

"Explain."

"She made you fall in love with her _really_ quickly. People got suspicious. You also treated me horribly, but that's not new. You shirked your duties—"

"Okay, now I'm sorry I asked."

"Merlin, stop needling him. Now come on; he needs his rest." Gaius stood and pulled his protégé with him. He looked over at Arthur. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on you. Please get some rest."

"Will do."

Gaius and Merlin left while Arthur settled back into his pillows. His headache was fading; Gaius must have given him something while he was asleep. He closed his eyes and relaxed, but a sudden thought made him open them again. _Whatever happened to Sophia and Aulfric?_

* * *

 **Plot hole = stopped up LOL! Next up- A bit of Mergana and a fix for season/series 3.**


	20. Royalty

**Summary -Uther officially recognizes Morgana as his daughter. Title- _The Princess_**

* * *

Morgana examined herself in her full-length mirror. She was wearing her silver-white dress and her hairstyle looked perfection. Gwen had arranged it specifically to accommodate the tiara she'd be receiving quite soon. Butterflies erupted in her stomach again, but she beat them down.

"There," Gwen said as she finished smoothing down her mistress's dress. "You look like a princess."

"Gwen, I _am_ a princess."

"Not officially," she sing-songed.

Morgana grumbled. "I know."

"Nervous?"

"Not at all."

"I don't believe you, but I'll wait in the corridor." Gwen left the room.

A figure detached itself from the corner of her bedroom. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You look beautiful."

She turned in his arms. "You always say that, Merlin."

"Maybe, but she's right. You look like a princess, more than ever. I think it's your attitude."

"Thank you, kind sir." She reached up to peck his lips with hers.

"I'd better go with Gwen. See you after?"

"Of course." He gave her a sweet, lingering kiss and left the room. A couple minutes later, a knock sounded on her door. "Yes?"

The door opened. "Morgana, it's time," Arthur said.

"I'm coming." She walked forward to take her half-brother's arm. Together they walked down to the throne room.

Arthur walked with her all the way up to the dais where he left her to stand at their father's side. Members of the court stood around the room. Gwen, behind Morgana's chair, and Merlin, behind Arthur's, smiled at her.

Morgana knelt. The King walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I would have everyone here and across the kingdom know henceforth that Morgana Le Fay is rightfully my daughter, and to be honored as such. From this day forward, she shall be known as Morgana Pendragon, Princess of Camelot."

The few people in the room who hadn't known this before, gasped. But they recovered quickly and began applauding enthusiastically with the rest. Arthur, Merlin and Gwen smiled broadly and applauded the loudest of all.

Uther reached out a hand, and a page stepped from the corner of the room. He carried a pillow with a tiara fit for a princess upon it. Uther took the tiara and placed it carefully on Morgana's head. He held out his hand to her and said, "Rise, Princess Morgana of Camelot."

Morgana took his hand and he pulled her up. He led her to his side and the court applauded once again. She smiled beautifully at everyone, happy and proud that she'd been accepted so warmly by her true father and his court.

Later, as she left the throne room, a hand reached out from an alcove and pulled her in. "So how does it feel to be official royalty now?" Merlin asked.

"It feels wonderful! I didn't think he'd ever accept me after I confronted him, but I've never been gladder to be wrong."

"May I be the first to kiss _Princess_ Morgana?"

"You shall be the first and _only_ to kiss the Princess Morgana."

Their lips locked in pure glee, both rejoicing now that Morgana had turned her back on her sister and her wicked ways. They'd work together to fight Morgause and hope for a better future.

* * *

 **Another in my line of _gee I wish they'd really done this_ fics. WYDT? Next- Time travel with help from a new friend.**


	21. Time Travel

**This one's quite a bit longer than drabble length; sorry about that. It demanded to be this long, so I hope you'll enjoy it anyway! Summary\- An unusual man with a blue box appears just in time to comfort Merlin post 5.13. Title\- _Not a Waste of Time_**

* * *

Merlin sat on the shore of the Lake of Avalon, staring off into the distance where the boat had long disappeared. His eyes were dry, but only because he was dehydrated. His throat ached and his head hurt. The rest of him was numb though, and he was barely awake. But he did manage hear an odd sound behind him—it sounded like a giant wheezing monster.

He whipped around to see a tall blue box, big enough to fit a single person inside. _Where did that come from?_ He got up and walked over to it. There were odd words on the door—at least they _looked_ like words.

Merlin had walked around the box twice and was now standing a few feet in front of it when the door opened abruptly. He took up a defensive posture as an older man- about Uther's age when he passed -stepped out. "Oh, who are you?" the man asked.

Merlin stared, scrutinizing this man who was wearing an odd black waistcoat, trousers and shoes. "I am Merlin. Who are _you_?"

"Oh, Old English. Delightful—I've got to brush up anyway . . . wait. Did you say your name was _Merlin_?"

"Yes, why? Do I know you?"

"No, I don't _think_ we've ever met. But you're supposed to be a myth. A legend."

Merlin laughed ironically. "Not likely. I'm just a servant who failed at his destiny."

" _Servant_? So what was this destiny then? Did it have something to do with King Arthur?"

"How did you know?"

"That's not important. How did you supposedly fail your 'destiny'?"

"Arthur died. Albion was not united and magic was not restored to Camelot."

"Magic, huh? That I have trouble believing. But as far as Albion being united, I think you'll find that you didn't fail. Come with me."

Merlin moved. "Who did you say you were again?"

"I didn't. I'm the Doctor." He held out his hand and Merlin looked at it a moment before clasping it the way the knights did. The Doctor was a bit taken aback, but went with it. "Step inside here."

Merlin stepped through the door, not sure what he was expecting, but he sure wasn't expecting what he saw. He looked around and his mouth fell open; he stepped out again, as if to make sure things were still normal, then stepped inside again.

The Doctor had stood to the side as he did this, unsurprised. He expected the usual, _it's bigger on the inside!_ but it never came. All Merlin said was, "Well, that's different. Is it some kind of spell that makes it different on the inside?"

The Doctor looked at him, surprised. He'd never been asked _that_ before. "Not quite. It's Time Lord technology."

"What's 'technology'?"

"Ahh . . . science." He closed the door behind him.

"Well, it's beyond any science _I_ know."

"I'll bet. Come with me."

"Are we going somewhere?"

"You'll see. This scientific wonder travels in time."

"Oh, I've done that, sort of."

The Doctor was ending up surprised quite a bit today. "Well, let's go see evidence that you haven't failed." He walked over to the console and flipped his usual switches and dials. Merlin startled a bit at the sounds it made, but otherwise watched in silence.

The Doctor set the destination for Camelot, five years from today's date. They materialized in what looked like an unused bedroom and he followed Merlin to the door. He watched Merlin's face as he opened the door and looked out. "So we did travel. But to Camelot?"

"Five years in the future. Let's go see what's happening. I'm guessing there's a big round table somewhere? Why don't you show me? And it's best if we stay hidden."

Merlin nodded. "All right." They left the room and headed for the throne room. Merlin ushered him through a servants' entrance and they looked inside.

There was Gwen in a dress Merlin didn't recognize. Sitting next to her was a little boy with skin a bit lighter than hers and eyes the same shade as Arthur's— _he has a son!_ He recognized few of the knights and Gwen looked older. But also at the table were Bayard, Olaf, Odin, Annis, and other crowned individuals he didn't recognize. When Merlin listened, he heard Gwen and the others discussing trade routes across Albion.

Merlin turned to the Doctor. "They're talking about _Albion_ —it's been established?"

"That's not all. Is there a window nearby?"

"Yes." He led the Doctor to the upper level of that room. They looked out the windows there and watched a servant trip then use magic to right the clothes he'd spilled. On a set of steps, a little girl spoke to little birds, who trilled back to her. She laughed like she understood them.

"Do you see _now_?"

Merlin's eyes were watery "I do. But what of Arthur?"

"Come. Let's go back to that room." Merlin led the Doctor back to the room where they got into the blue box again. "Now I'm taking you _fifteen hundred_ years into the future. Things will be vastly different to what you know, but don't be alarmed. I'll tell you what you need to know and keep you safe."

Merlin nodded and held on to the railing as the box again hurtled through time (and presumably space). This time, they opened the door to what looked kind of like Camelot. There were stone buildings and roads, and grass everywhere. "Follow me," the Doctor told him.

The Doctor led him to one of the buildings and opened its wide doors. He walked over to one of the doors inside, listened for a moment, then beckoned Merlin over. He opened the door and ushered him inside to a giant room that sloped down to a dais. There were hundreds of chairs on the sloping floor; the Doctor led him over to two unoccupied chairs and told him to sit. He nodded toward the man who stood on the dais and said, "Listen."

"King Arthur was supposed to have lived around five hundred A.D. While few historical records verify his existence, many do proclaim that Britannia became a united kingdom about this time*. This marks the first time in history Britannia became such. Though conquerors later came to disturb the peace, stories lauding the deeds of the Once and Future King remain to this day. Many have inspired stories, movies and even television shows . . ."

Merlin stopped listening then. Tears began silently running down his face. " _Arthur_ . . . he's remembered this far in the future?"

"Yes he is. And while they consider him a myth, he's inspired many people over the years. Listen a bit more."

"Today, the United Kingdom owes its existence to King Arthur. Without his ideals of truth and justice, where would our great countries be today? And who knows—maybe he could indeed rise when we have need of him again."

People in the huge room stood and began clapping, but Merlin and the Doctor just sat in their places. The Doctor had his arm around him as he silently cried. After a moment, they both stood and left the room. The Doctor led him back to the blue box and inside then helped him sit. He handed Merlin a handkerchief and sat next to him.

"Do you see now? You _didn't_ fail. Arthur is remembered fondly and his heritage of truth, justice and a united kingdom came to pass."

"Thank you," Merlin whispered. "So . . . I take it I'm mentioned along with him?" The Doctor nodded. " _That's_ how you know me. But magic?"

"If it still exists, I have no knowledge of it. But then again, I've seen many things that could be thought of as magical, so you never know."

"Doctor, _does_ Arthur rise again?"

"Now _that's_ an interesting question." He jumped up and dashed over to the console. "Would you like to find out?"

Merlin's eyes lit up. "Oh, may I?"

"Let's do it." The Doctor again threw his switches and held on for dear life. But he had a feeling that whatever they found, Merlin would be able to move forward through his grief. After all, _his_ story wasn't finished yet.

* * *

 ***My revisionist history. I'm too lazy to Google any different. Next- A little more Mergana. With pets. ;)**


	22. Pet fic

**Yo! Here's my bit of Mergana. :) Summary\- Walking their dogs in the park was never so complicated. Title\- _Much Ado_**

* * *

Morgana frowned as she stared at her mobile. She really shouldn't be thinking about work as she walked her poodle, Gwennie, across the park. Normally her lunchtime with her pretty Gwennie was calming, but this e-mail Arthur had sent her was confusing. A formerly recluse artist had asked for _her_ representation. By name. And apparently Arthur knew enough about him that she really needed to take him on.

She didn't see the tall, dark skinny man walking toward her. He was walking his dog, Lance, a sober but loyal boxer. Merlin was also frowning at his phone. He hadn't yet heard back from Mr. Pendragon. You'd think a famous artist coming out of seclusion would garner more notice, at least for the novelty.

Both walkers failed to notice they were headed for a collision. The dogs attempted to yank them off their chosen courses, but both humans tugged them back. Thirty seconds later, the dogs were happily sniffing each other, but the two humans had collided.

"What the—" Merlin started.

"Who—?" Morgana said at the same time.

"Oh, excuse me miss, I'm so sorry."

"No, really, it's my fault. I had my nose in my phone."

"I wasn't any better. Here." He picked up her phone, which was next to him and remarkably intact.

"Oh thanks. Here's yours." They exchanged phones. Merlin's was a bit worse for wear.

"Aw crap, this was brand new!"

"Looks like it's okay."

His head whipped up. "Oh here, let me help you up." He stood quickly and stuck out his hand, which she took.

"Thanks again."

"Oh, your suit." He reached forward to brush her off, but stopped as if remembering something. He looked her up and down. "You're beautiful."

She blushed lightly. "Thank you, and don't worry. I have several more suits at home."

He didn't reply at first; he was staring into her face. "Do I know you? You look familiar."

She held out a slim hand. "Morgana Pendragon."

"Oh!" He shook her hand briefly. "Merlin Emrys."

"Merlin—oh! My new client." She heard annoyed murmuring around them; they were still in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Here." He took her arm and gently pulled her to the side, where there was a bench. They sat on it and tugged on their dogs' leashes. "Lance, come. Sit."

"Gwennie, sit." She looked back up at Merlin. She was about to say something else when his eyes caught her attention. They were the most stunning sapphire she'd ever seen.

"So, you're going to take me on? Even though I've been out of it for ten years?"

"Merlin, you took the art world by storm fifteen years ago. Even though you haven't been seen recently, you haven't been forgotten. I'll take you on."

"Thank you!" He took her hands impulsively. "Can I take you to lunch, to celebrate? Do people still do that?"

She smiled. "Of course they do. I would be happy to go to lunch with you. We can discuss details of the contract?"

"That would be brilliant." They both stood and caught each other's eyes. He smiled and held out his arm, which she took. "Morgana, I have the feeling this will be a fantastic partnership," he said as he looked into her sparkling jade eyes.

"I totally agree."

* * *

 **Hehehe, about as trope-y as it can get, yeah? Next- Arthur has an unusual request for his court sorcerer.**


	23. History

**This one was a little weird for me, but it came together nicely. Summary\- ****Arthur wants to witness his own birth, with Merlin's help.** ** Title\- _History_**

* * *

Merlin stared at the King. In his short time as Court Sorcerer, he'd received a couple of odd requests, but this one . . . may be impossible to fulfill.

Arthur had come to his chambers and woke him up. Merlin immediately deduced that the King was suffering from one of his all-night thinking sessions. "Merlin, I want to know what really happened before my birth. How I was conceived and how my father came to hate magic."

The warlock just stared at his friend. For a solid _minute_. "Are you sure about that?"

"Merlin, I want to know the truth. _Everything_. Take me back into history. _My_ history."

Merlin again stared at his friend, stunned into silence _again_. " _What?_ "

"Take me back in time. Merlin, _please_."

The warlock could see that this had been stewing in Arthur's mind for quite a while. This was no impulsive wish—he _really_ wanted to know. "All right, Arthur. I'll do some research. I _think_ I may have read about something like this _somewhere_."

"Thank you Merlin. This means a lot to me."

"I can tell. Now _go to bed_!"

"Yes sir!" Arthur left the room, but he'd left behind his insomnia.

oO0Oo

Merlin began his research with Gaius. The idea struck him as familiar too, and together they spent several days taking apart his library. But no answer presented itself.

The warlock moved his search to the library. Many books had been uncovered and/or donated back to Camelot's library since Arthur legalized magic again. Several times the King was seen watching his friend in the library, but he never said anything. Finally Merlin remembered the secret room where he'd found the goblin. After several books and many more sneezes, he found his answer.

Merlin visited Arthur that night with the book. "It says here one can travel back through time to witness events, but he can't influence them. In fact, he'd be like a ghost—invisible."

Arthur stood from his table. "Let's do it!"

"There are some risks, but none we can't guard against. I can be ready in two days?"

"Fine."

Two days passed quickly. Merlin went over and over the spell until he was confident he had it right. Arthur notified Guinevere and Leon what they were doing and gave them instructions in case something went wrong. By the time he met Merlin in Gaius's chambers- he'd be watching their bodies- Arthur was mentally ready.

Merlin and Arthur lay down on parallel beds and the warlock recited the spell. Their vision blacked out for a long moment before they saw they were no longer in Gaius's chambers, but Uther's.

Gaius and Uther were much younger than when the duo had last seen them. Ygraine sat on the bed. Uther was at the table and Gaius was standing, facing both. He was explaining how a child could be brought to life through magic, but he didn't have the power to do it. Uther asked who would be capable and Gaius answered, "Nimueh."

Uther ordered Gaius to visit the sorceress at the Isle of the Blessed. She spent little time at court, but was a friend to many, including the Queen. Gaius agreed and was treated to smiles from both King and Queen.

The scene blurred in front of Merlin and Arthur's eyes, but they were still in the King and Queen's chambers. Ygraine, Uther, Gaius, and Nimueh sat at the table, talking. Nimueh was explaining the "life for a life" way the Old Religion worked. She explained there was no way to know whose life would be taken. Ygraine frowned at this while Uther beamed. Nimueh, carrying the Cup of Life, was escorted to her own chambers by a servant.

Gaius saw the Queen's hesitation and jumped on it. He said this method would certainly work, but was dangerous. In the bargaining of lives, anyone's could be taken—it could even be Ygraine's or Uther's. The King scoffed and told Gaius they were going through with it. He stated that the importance of an heir couldn't be underestimated.

The room blurred again and it was night outside. Ygraine sat on the bed in a nightgown. Uther was dressed and facing Nimueh. Gaius sat at the table behind her and watched as Nimueh chanted the spell over the Cup in her hand; it glowed and she smiled. She took it over to Ygraine, who gestured for Uther to sit next to her. Nimueh gave the container to Ygraine, who drank some of the water then handed it to Uther, who also drank. Nimueh held her hands out over their abdomens and incanted again. She smiled and bade Gaius leave the room with her.

As the room blurred again, Merlin glanced at Arthur. He looked utterly bewildered. The warlock couldn't even begin to understand how all this must feel. He put his hand on his friend's shoulder and the scene cleared. They were in the throne room and the court was assembled.

Uther stood and joyfully explained how the Queen was now with child. He took her hand and lifted her from her seat so everyone could see the small bulge on her abdomen. The court clapped and cheered for her, calling, "Long live the Queen."

The usual blur came again but they remained in the throne room. Uther and a _very_ pregnant Ygraine sat in their thrones, hearing the concerns of a peasant woman. Ygraine flinched, which drew the woman's attention. "Are you quite all right, Your Majesty?"

"Just a little pain. I think I need to stand a bit." Uther rose to help her but she waved him off. She stood slowly and grimaced again, then said, "Oh."

"Ygraine?" Uther was worried.

"I think . . . I think the baby's coming," Ygraine said.

"Gaius!" Uther yelled and the physician was at his side in an instant. Both men helped the Queen walk forward and noticed the small puddle behind her. "Where should we go?"

"Your chambers sire," Gaius answered. He turned to a concerned servant and said, "Fetch Nimueh to the royal chambers please." The servant took off.

The scene in front of Merlin and Arthur blurred for just a second and they were in the royal chambers again. Uther and Nimueh were at the head of the bed on opposite sides. Gaius knelt near Ygraine's feet, murmuring soothing words. Every now and then, Nimueh muttered a small pain-relieving spell and soothed the Queen's brow with a damp, cool cloth. After a few minutes, Ygraine's cries broke into sobbing and Gaius gave her instructions. He had a frown on his face.

Uther finally sensed something was amiss. Gaius explained that Ygraine's strength seemed to be waning greatly as the baby's birth neared. Uther looked concerned but told Gaius he had every confidence in him.

Finally Ygraine began pushing and the two observers looked away. They looked back as the infant Arthur began wailing. Gaius told the King he had a son. Uther rejoiced, but didn't notice his wife drawing rapid breaths. Gaius wrapped the baby and noticed there was too much blood. Nimueh laid her hands on the Queen, murmuring spells to discover the source of the Queen's distress. She eventually sobbed in frustration and called for Gaius, who handed the baby to the King.

Gaius examined Ygraine's respiratory system but could find no cause for her rapid breathing. "Gaius—I want—to see—my son—before—"

Nimueh continued chanting healing spells in the background. "Your Majesty—"

"Gaius—please—"

By now Uther had noticed his wife's distress. Gaius and Nimueh helped her sit up against the headboard. "Ygraine—no."

"Your Majesty, the Queen is dying," Gaius explained. "She wants to see the child."

Uther wordlessly handed his son to Gaius who settled him into Ygraine's arms. "Look—Uther—our beautiful—little—boy—Remember—his name—?"

"Arthur."

"My—precious—baby—boy—Be—good—for—your—father—I love—you." Ygraine pressed a kiss to the baby's head, took one more breath then relaxed.

Nimueh grabbed the baby before he could roll anywhere. Gaius leaned up and pressed his fingers to the Queen's pulse. Tears watered his eyes and he shook his head in the negative. "I'm sorry, sire, she's gone."

Uther wailed and grabbed onto Ygraine. "You're not dead, you're not. Please—please don't leave me . . ."

Arthur looked away and began crying himself. Merlin patted his back and continued to watch the scene in front of him.

Gaius began arranging the Queen so she could be cleaned up and prepared for burial. He had to pry her out of Uther's hands. The King continued sobbing, looking down at his empty hands. After a few minutes, he looked up and saw Nimueh holding Arthur. " _You!_ " Uther snarled.

"Your Majesty?" Nimueh looked shocked at his tone.

" _You_ did this. With your _magic_."

"Sire—" Gaius tried.

" _Stay out of this Gaius!_ " he roared before turning back to Nimueh. "Put him down."

"Majesty?"

"Put my son down." She looked at him, still in shock. "If you value your life, _PUT HIM DOWN!_ "

Nimueh laid Arthur on the bed and stepped back. "Uther, I had no idea—"

" _Yes you did!_ You _knew_ the Old Religion would take her! _Why?_ Why would you do that? She's harmed no one, doesn't—didn't have a mean bone in her body—"

"No, I tried to save her. I tried—"

" _Get out_. Get out and never come back!" Nimueh fled the room while Uther broke down again.

Baby Arthur began crying, so Gaius picked him up and began rocking him. He walked over to the door and explained to one of the guards what needed to be done. Merlin turned to adult Arthur. "Have you seen enough?" Arthur, silent tears running down his face, nodded. Merlin murmured the spell to return.

A few moments later, both men opened their eyes to the old Gaius. He handed a handkerchief to his King and drew Merlin a little ways away. "He saw it all," Merlin explained.

"You're going to have to put him back together. You and Gwen."

"I know."

"Go easy on him. Counsel him to go slow and rest."

"I will. Thank you Gaius."

* * *

 **So, WDYT? I'm curious and love comments, even if you hated it. ;) Next (and last TT)- Celebrity!Morgana one more time.**


	24. Coffee Shop

**Here it is- my last trope! Thank you to everyone who's popped by to read, follow, favorite, or mock my little series. After I post this but, I'll be marking it "complete." But never fear, I'm not done with drabbles! If you miss my bite-size bits o'fun, pop over to my profile and click on my _other_ other drabble series, _Unwinding_. I have no idea when I'll finish _that_. ;) **

**Summary \- Morgana's tired of waiting for Merlin to call so she shows up at his place of work. Title\- Missed You (sequel to _Running Into..._ and _Game Night_ ).**

* * *

After the last customer left, Merlin turned the sign on the door to "closed." He'd just turned away when the door rattled behind him. He turned back around to see a familiar, beautiful face at the door, and immediately opened it. "Morgana," he breathed.

She closed the door behind her and he moved to lock it again. "Hello, Merlin. I've missed you. How come you haven't called?"

He remembered it had been a week since the game night at his flat and flushed. "I-I'm sorry. I've had to run this place nearly by myself the past few days. It's exhausting."

She put her hands up around his neck. "Oh, you poor thing. I'll make it better for you." She brought his head down for a thorough kiss.

Merlin was too shocked to respond at first. But when she dropped a hand to his waist, he "woke up" and began kissing her back enthusiastically. His hands went to her waist to hold her in place before she broke away. "Mmm, thank you," he murmured.

"You're more than welcome."

He stepped back and took her hand. "Can you get you anything before I clean the machines?"

She sat at a table close to the counter. "Oh, no thanks. Anything now would keep me up all night." She laughed a glorious, throaty laugh.

Merlin stared at her longingly. _No wonder she has so many fans_. "Okay." He continued behind the counter and began his work. "Can I get you anything else? A pastry?"

"No thank you. Your company is all I need."

They chatted about their different lives as he cleaned the machines then tidied up the shop. He was very interested in her life, but not in a gossipy sort of way, which she appreciated. He also asked her about her life before her fame, which not many people bothered with. She was equally curious about his life before they'd met. He shared all about his family, friends and growing up in a tiny town in Wales. _It's amazing how the two of us were raised so differently but blend so well_ , she thought.

She looked up when she'd noticed Merlin had stopped talking. He was rustling through various drawers behind the counter, and eventually produced two candles and matches. He also bore a plate with a couple small pastries. "I know you said you didn't want anything, but these were left over . . ."

She smiled encouragingly and said, "It's okay. I have a bit of room now."

He smiled back and walked over with his load. "Oh good. Here we go then." He set everything on the table then lit the candles. The ambiance in the room subtly shifted as he sat across from her. "Morgana . . . I . . ." He flushed and looked down.

"Merlin, what is it?"

"You must get dozens of requests like this every day, but . . . would you go out with me?"

She was a bit surprised at his nervousness. He'd seemed so poised and confident previously. "Merlin—of course I'll go out with you. Couldn't you tell?"

"Couldn't I tell what?"

"That I really like you? You're the most genuine, funny and down-to-earth guy I've met in a long time."

He blushed. "You can't be serious."

"I am, really. Have you _seen_ the guys in my business?" He nodded. "There's a shortage of guys like you, so when I find one, I have to hold on." She took his hand. "I _want_ to go out with _you_ , Merlin. For a very long time, if I get my way." Her smile was blinding and honest.

He flushed again. "That would be _fantastic_! Would you like to come back to mine for a while? I mean, if you want to."

"Yes." She stood and pulled him with her then put a hand to his face. This time _he_ took the initiative and kissed _her_. His hands went down to hold her hips as she deepened the kiss by licking at his lips. He opened his mouth with a groan and soon their tongues were tangling. She'd twisted her hands into his hair and held him there.

They broke for air then dived back in. He pulled her closer then ran his hands up her back. Their mouths opened to each other again and they battled for dominance. Eventually she let him win—she, who was normally a strong, independent woman, let him consume her from the inside out. They next time they broke, they panted for a minute. "Are you feeling—?" he asked.

"Yes. Let's—"

"Go to mine now?"

"Yeah." She captured his lips in a sweet, lingering kiss then followed him out the back door, which he locked behind them. " _Now_."

He took her hand and pulled her away. Morgana couldn't help but feel like _this_ relationship would be different. _This_ may just be the one that changed her life for good.

* * *

 **Satisfactory ending to my mini trilogy or would you like to see more? Let me know! :) Oh, if you're curious about my 25th square of trope bingo, "Apocalypse," it's under that chapter title in _Unwinding_. TTFN and thanks again!**


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